The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1887-06-01
BLOCKADE RUNNING.
EXPERIENCE OF A CLYDE STEAMER
ON THE CAPE FEAR COAST.

Trying to Pass Through the New Inlet.
A Gordon of Cruisers on Guard-Beach-
ing the Vessel and Setting Her ON
Fire.
Our forty-eight-hour trip was untnter-
rupted by Union cruisers, and we reached
the Cape Fear otting about midnight. The
blockading squadron, we had learned in
Nassau, had been largely increased, and
the captain, officers fal pilot were on the
qui vive. There was no moon, but the
stars were shi! .. contingency which
had been countet, Jon. All was expecta-
tion not unniixel with trepidation on
board the Corn Rigs. Even the beautiful
Idly passenger who had not made her ap-
pci,rance on deck since she came on board
at Nassau came out on deck and peered
through the night glass gallantly rendered
by the captain.
1t seemed as though every yard of space
was guarded by the blockading squadron
that night Three times the Corn Rigs in
trying to pass through the new inlet had
to turn back when on the point of running
directly into n cruiser.
The captain, needing not the advice of
the pilot, resolved on a bold dash. The
cruisers had drawn near the shore and
made a Gordon around the mouth of the
new inlet
Boom! A long, sullen roar from an
Armstrong gun at the Mound battery
told the cruisers that they were too near
The fiery, screaming shell passed over tho
inside line of cruisers and only missed the
Corn Rigs by IL few feet.
"Give her more steam" was the cap
tain's command by muified bell to the en-
gineer The runner slipped between two
cruisers unobserved, when the way was
stopped by a third wl;eh licl two shots
in rapid succession. Away, like fox
pursued by pack of dogs, rushed the
Clyde steamer 10 the north. Then turn
ing almost a complete circle, she again
pluckily essaycd an entrance.
In vain. Blue lights were burning on
half a dozen quarter decks; dozen rock
cts went up in air and the roar of u dozen
guns added to the excitement of the scene.
A shell struck the srlokestack. tearing 1t
half away. The frightened lady ran on
deck and tainted in the captains arms.
"Head her round the Frying Pan to the
veyed the lady to her stateroom, where
her colored servant lay on the floor.
1t was l O'Clock and there was not
much darkness to spare. In an hour
and half afterware the Corn Rigs es-
sayed the southern inlet, the distance
being reduced by the pilots knowledge of
an intricate passage through the shoals.
The captain recklessly headed for the inlet
at once. The night glasses showed that
he must pass cruiser, but he steered his
boat directly for it. Outside two moro
were bearing in from the east, and ad-
vanced behind us. Lying close to shore,
but nearer the forts than the Corn Rigs,
was another, quietly waiting to gobble US
r1r ha 1n,,- hroo lr;p ,1n
We were in the tolls.
"Clear away the boats"
That meant that the Corn Rigs was to
be beached, and sprang to help We
were close to shore and the firing was in
| cessant.
Bang, bang; whirr, whirrl
"D-n them" said the captain bitterly;
"they are firing grape shop at us. But
they shan't capture this boat
Two barrels of turpentine slowed for
ward behind the cable were smashed in
with an ak, and the limpid liquid flooded
the decks. Meanwhile one boat, smashed
to pieces by grape shot, was cleared away
and two others lowered. Officers and
men crowded into them. Abner, the
| pilot, with blood streaming down his face
from splinter wound, worked the helm
rs coolly as on a pleasure excursion.
| "Comep' impatiently said the captain
as myself and the mate hauled the lady
and her servant into the boat. The other
boat was on its way to the Shore
"Au right" said the pilot, jumping
down.
"Crackp' The first mate had fired his
pistol into the turpentine. A fierce and
sudden blaze enveloped the steamer from
stem to stern, as she drove head foremost
on the beach. The cruisers, enraged at
the loss of the rich prize almost within
their grasp, commenced firing with in
creased rapidity.
Bang! bang! bang!
The water all around the boat was
churned almost into foam by the grape
shot. A shot killed one OF the men, and
took hold of his oar, with my feet on his
bleeding corpse. In few seconds we
were on the beach, beside the burning
vessel. Everybody jumped into the surf,
and the captain and carried the lady
ashore. The servant was carried ashore,
| also.
81 'clar', boss, you is on trouble"
turned and saw negro, seated on one
of the two wheeled, one mule wagons of
that region.
''You are black angel from heaven"
said to the colored man. ~ wish the
lady conveyed to some house."
Two Or three boats from the cruiser
were already at the burning vessel. We
drove hurriedly to Smithville, where q
better conveyance landed us in Whining
ton. Before dark had the pleasure of
handing the lady over to her husband,
Maj. Sheldon, Georgian officer of good
family. Detroit Free Press.